UN Secretary General in Luxembourg to “underscore a vital partnership”

The first visit of a UN Secretary General to Luxembourg since 1989, Ban Ki-moon used the occasion on Tuesday to highlight the “multiple relationships” between the UN and Luxembourg.

17.04.2012

(CS) The first visit of a UN Secretary General to Luxembourg since 1989, Ban Ki-moon used the occasion on Tuesday to highlight the “multiple relationships” between the UN and Luxembourg.

At a press conference at the Foreign Ministry, Mr Ban also spoke on his personal connection with the Grand Duchy, as Luxembourg was one of 21 countries supporting the Republic of Korea in the Korean War.

Calling Minister Asselborn a “dear good friend” the UN Secretary General went on to express his admiration and respect for Premier Jean-Claude Juncker, saying it was “a great pleasure and honour” to visit the “wonderful member state.”

Luxembourg, as a founding member of the UN, has already surpassed the 2015 goal for member states to give 0.7% of their Gross National Income in development aid, currently giving 1.04% of its GNI, as Mr Ban pointed out.

The UN Secretary General thanked Luxembourg for its “exceptional generosity,” but added that the country's “generosity goes beyond the purse,” with the UN benefitting from Luxembourg's ideas and visions and the way it is “looking at global challenges in an integrated way,” urging the rest of the world to do the same.

When asked about the likelihood of Luxembourg gaining a non-permanent seat on the UN security council for 2014-2015, however, Mr Ban said it was up to the member states to vote on this issue.

Earlier on Tuesday Mr Ban met with Grand Duke Henri, and he is set to speak at the Chamber of Deputies in the afternoon ahead of a visit to the University of Luxembourg's Limpertsberg campus.